By: Citra Kurnia Khudori*
The Free Nutritional Meal Program (MBG) not only aims to reduce malnutrition and improve children’s nutritional intake, but also has an economic impact that is beginning to be felt in various regions. This program demonstrates that social policies can go hand in hand with local economic growth.
When it was first announced, many thought the MBG was simply another form of social assistance. It turns out the program’s approach is different. The MBG combines health and local economic aspects through community-managed Nutrition Service Unit (SPPG) kitchens. This is where the economic leverage begins to be felt.
This program provides job opportunities for local communities and opens new economic chains at the village and sub-district levels. The 10,012 SPPGs currently active in various regions have employed hundreds of thousands of workers, from cooks and drivers to food suppliers.
The Head of the National Economic Council (DEN), Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, revealed encouraging data. So far, the MBG program has provided jobs for 380,000 people. He said this has had a positive impact amidst the uncertain global economy.
Luhut explained that the SPPG program has helped revitalize the supply chain ecosystem for raw materials, from eggs to bananas to fish, in the regions. In fact, he said, some regions are no longer struggling to sell their food ingredients because the SPPG is fully absorbed by the MBG program.
This is what makes MBG stand out. It goes beyond nutrition and touches the household economy. Kitchen workers now receive a regular income, while farmers and local MSMEs gain a secure new market. The money circulating in the market doesn’t flow to the central government, but rather back into local communities.
This concept is crucial to address long-standing criticisms of government social programs. Many aid programs are purely consumptive, creating dependency and not encouraging productivity. MBG offers a new paradigm: aid that empowers self-reliance. It channels public funds into productive economic activities.
Rahma Dewi Auliyasari, an expert at the Nutrition Promotion and Education Directorate at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), even called this program a dual strategy: improving nutrition while revitalizing the regional economy. She emphasized that the MBG kitchen must involve local food businesses to achieve multiplied benefits.
This statement is evident in the field. In Bogor, the Tanah Baru 01 Food and Nutrition Service Center (SPPG) serves as a small example of how the local economy turns every morning. Dozens of residents prepare thousands of portions of nutritious food, collaborating with local farmers and vendors.
This program also carries strong social value. Amidst the economic inequality crisis, MBG creates a space for participation for the lower classes. They no longer wait for aid to arrive, but instead become both implementers and beneficiaries. This is the true spirit of mutual cooperation.
Junaedi (28), a chef at the SPPG Bojong Koneng in Bogor, expressed his joy at the multiplier impact of the MBG program. He is now able to return to work after three years of unemployment.
However, implementing the MBG program is not without challenges. Food quality control must also be tightened to maintain nutritional standards. Furthermore, the government is obligated to ensure that the food served is safe and nutritious.
These obstacles should not diminish the importance of the MBG program, but rather serve as a reminder that large-scale social policies always require adaptation and strict oversight. As long as the government maintains transparency and ensures implementation standards, MBG can become a new model for inclusive policies at the national level.
Furthermore, MBG demonstrates that, instead of distributing cash, the government channels “economic activity.” In the long term, this approach is far more fiscally and socially sound, not only reducing the burden on the state but also strengthening the economic independence of the community.
Another commendable aspect is the knock-on effect for local MSMEs. When each MBG kitchen is required to purchase food from local suppliers, a stable supply chain is created. Vegetable farmers, chicken breeders, and even small-scale tempeh producers now have a steady market every day. This program narrows the gap between government policy and the pulse of the people’s economy.
From a regional development perspective, MBG can be considered a microeconomic catalyst. It demonstrates that strengthening the national economy does not always have to start with large investments, but can grow from small initiatives that address the basic needs of the community. SPPG kitchens prove that social policies can create real productivity.
If sustainable, MBG will become a symbol of how public policies can feed and support regional economies, and improve the health of the nation’s children.and simultaneously grow the family economy.
The MBG program is also proof that development doesn’t have to be grand to have a significant impact. From a simple kitchen, the people’s economy can move. From a small box, a healthier, stronger, and more empowered generation emerges.
)* The author is an observer of socio-economic issues
